Mark Golding Calls for Scrutiny of SERHA’s Equipment Purchase. The People’s National Party (PNP) has intensified its call for independent state agencies to investigate the procurement of a $31 million neurosurgical drill. The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) purchased the drill from Medical Technologies for the Bustamante Hospital for Children.
Over the weekend, PNP President Mark Golding and the party’s spokesperson on health, Dr. Alfred Dawes, continued to demand answers. They reiterated their claim that the drill does not represent value for money. They insisted that a thorough investigation is necessary.
While addressing a PNP divisional conference in Bath, St. Thomas, on Sunday, Mark Golding asserted that on the open market, the neurosurgical drill costs significantly less. It costs only one-tenth of what SERHA paid for it.
“The situation is worrying; it doesn’t seem right. There is something wrong in the State of Jamaica, and I am calling on the Auditor General and the Integrity Commission to examine it closely because the people of Jamaica are suffering in the healthcare system,” Mark Golding stated.
Golding added, “There are many pieces of equipment that need repair or replacement. If you are purchasing equipment at inflated prices, you misuse and misappropriate those resources. They should instead be used to fix what needs to be addressed in hospitals and health centers.”
Mark Golding emphasized the impact on patients by stating, “Many people can’t have their elective surgeries done. Operating theaters are closed. Air conditioning units are not working. Elevators are out of order. CAT scans are unavailable. Even at Bustamante Children’s Hospital, there is no CAT scan.” He reiterated the PNP’s message that it is time for a change in government.